Chat in Time
by LunettePendragon
Summary: Another day, another battle. Chat Noir helps Ladybug defeat Mr. Rat...again. But when he decides to surprise his girlfriend in the park, Adrien learns that he has accidentally traveled back in time. Can Adrien navigate the past and return to his own time? Or will he ruin his future? After all, Marinette is about to die of shock right in front of him.
1. Chapter 1

Chat Noir rolled as he fell and the left side of his head burst into pain as it hit the pavement.

"GAAAAH!" He cried out. He opened his eyes, but his vision was blurred.

_Did it work? _he wondered as he gave his body a moment to recover. He listened but didn't hear any battle sounds. Then, off in the distance, he heard a crash.

Opening his eyes again, he sighed with relief as his vision returned. There was no sign of Ladybug, Bunnix, or Mr. Rat. He got to his feet and glanced all around. In fact, there was no one. There was another loud crash and Chat looked off towards the west. Sure enough, he spied a familiar yo-yo flying through the air.

_Guess it didn't work then, _he noted as he took off towards Ladybug. _Did she really just leave me behind?_

He arrived just in time to see Ladybug grab hold of Mr. Rat's flute with her yo-yo. Bunnix was nowhere in sight, but that only made since she had already used her powers and she really wasn't supposed to be fighting anyway. Ladybug pulled back and it went flying in the air. On instinct, Chat called upon cataclysm and caught the flute, releasing the akuma.

"About time you showed up, Chat!" she chided as she caught the akuma and purified it.

"Excuse me, milady, but I have perfect timing."

"Sure, Chat." she said, as her earrings beeped. "I'm almost out of time, do you think you can talk to him?"

"No problem. I'll handle it." He said with a smile. "I'll see you later, bugaboo?"

"In your dreams, Chat."

Chat chuckled under his breath as she took off. He quickly went and helped Mr. Ramier to his feet. After taking care of the civilian, Chat found an alley and de-transformed. He gave some cheese to Plagg and then headed out.

As Adrien arrived at the park, he spied Marinette sitting and sketching in her book. He smiled to himself and headed over. He snuck up behind her and whispered in her ear.

"Hey, Marinette,"

"GAH!" she cried as she jumped, turning so that Adrien could see her beautiful face. "Adrien...what...?"

He quickly silenced her by firmly placing his lips on hers. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, savoring the scent of strawberries and croissants. He pulled back and smiled at her. But when he saw her panicked face, he frowned.

"What's wrong, bugaboo?" he questioned, unsure why she was responding like this. She usually melted every time he kissed her. "Did Mr. Rat do something to you? Are you hurt?"

"A...Adrien? But you're...you're...London," she stammered, pushing him away. The sketchbook fell between them and Adrien reached to pick it up. "You're supposed to be in London! And then you...you...kissed me! Why...are you kissing me? I mean...it's not like I didn't like it but..."

As Marinette continued rambling on, her voice seemed to fade as Adrien studied what she had been sketching. He recognized it as the outfit she had designed after watching his show in London a few months ago. She had told him how he had been the inspiration for it. The memory was clear in his mind as she went over all the details with him while they were curled up together on her balcony above the bakery. Yet, this picture wasn't the finished project he remembered. It looked as if Marinette had just started it.

Suddenly, it clicked in his mind. This wasn't the Marinette he was dating. This was the Marinette from three months ago who had a huge crush on him. This was the Marinette who couldn't tell him about her feelings. She didn't even know he was Chat Noir.

"Oh, shit," he muttered as he realized what had happened. "I fell through that stupid rabbit hole."


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette babbled on at Adrien trying to process everything that had happened in the last few hours. She had gotten up early to watch the fashion show in London. Adrien had modeled a fabulous blue suit that had given her a new idea. Afterward, she had come to the park to start sketching, only to be interrupted by an Akuma; Mr. Rat, again. Chat had been late getting there to help her but had shown up at just the right moment. Then she had returned to the park to continue daydreaming about Adrien while she worked on her latest sketch.

That's when Adrien, who she had just seen on the television earlier this morning, had come up and kissed her. He kissed her. Adrien Agreste had kissed her. But just as she was coming to terms with that shock, another one hit her out of left field causing her to instantly stop talking. Adrien called her bugaboo. A nickname that only Chat Noir used. She stared at him in silence as he fingered the pages of her notebook.

Marinette noted the green hue of his eyes, his blond hair, and even his similar height to her fighting partner.

"Ch...chat?" she asked again, not sure what she was hoping he would say.

"Uh...hi? Milady?" he asked, looking up with a timid smile. "Surprise?"

"_Chat Noir!?" _

"Not here, Mari," he said, glancing around. He grabbed her arm and she followed him as he pulled her down the street until they reached an empty alleyway.

"Ok. Now we can talk," he said, letting go of her arm. "Yes, I'm Chat Noir, but not the Chat you know. Do you remember Bunnix? How she came from the future?"

Marinette nodded, recalling the strange incident.

"Alright, well, I'm from the future too. Not as far forward as Bunnix, obviously, but I need to get back. I need your help, milady. I need Ladybug."

"So...in the future...you know I'm Ladybug?" she asked, still putting all the pieces together in her mind. "Do I know your Chat?"

"Yeah...except...well...I guess this is how you found out?" he said as he scratched the back of his neck.

"So, Adrien Agreste...is Chat Noir?" she asked, knowing the answer, but still not fully accepting it quite yet. "I've been fighting alongside _Adrien Agreste _this whole time?"

"Yep."

"Adrien. Adrien is the one saying all those stupid cat puns?"

"Yep."

"And Adrien..._ADRIEN..._has been constantly flirting with Ladybug. And I'm Ladybug. And I have a crush on Adrien who is Chat Noir who is...oh...my...god," the full reality of what this meant slammed into her and Adrien grabbed her shoulders as if to steady her. Marinette buried her face in her hands and hot tears began to slide down her face. "I turned down Adrien! How could I do that!"

"Correction, you did that several times."

Marinette looked up at him and his coy smile helped cement the fact that this really was Chat in her mind.

"Don't worry though," he added quickly, "I don't hold it against you. After all, I'm the idiot for not realizing you were Ladybug. And I honestly had no clue that Marinette had a crush on me."

"But...but...you know?" she asked, staring into his green eyes, finally beginning to see Chat in Adrien's face. "You know I have a crush on you?"

"Well, yes, but not right now. I mean..._I know _but, me in the past...your Adrien, I guess that's a good way to describe it, doesn't."

"H-how?"

"Milady, I don't think I should tell you much more. You know, screwing up the future and all that." He reached up and gently wiped away a tear from her cheek, making her blush all the more. "I really like my future. I think you will too."

"You...you kissed me," she said, more as thought.

"Yeah...about that..." A blush was now forming in his cheeks too. "Um, I'm sorry."

"NO!" Marinette was quick to say. "I...I...it's ok. I was just...surprised? I...I never thought Adrien, from any time period, would just walk up and kiss me like that."

"Well...could you see Chat Noir pulling a stunt like that...with Ladybug?" Adrien asked, laughing. Marinette found herself chuckling at Adrien's fair point. She nodded, but then found herself blushing all over again and quickly turned her face away from Adrien in an attempt to hide it.

"Well, how about we go find Master Fu?" Adrien suggested. "After all, I really do need to get back to my time. _My_ ladybug kinda needs me."

"Yeah...um...of course," she answered as he reached out and took her hand. He began to pull her out to the street, but Marinette stood her ground. He looked back and tilted his head as if to ask what was wrong. "Adrien, um...is it ok?"

"Is what ok?" He asked. Marinette's body shook with fear, but she knew that she couldn't move forward until she asked.

"Is it ok that I like you?"

Adrien's face softened as he smiled at her. Instead of answering, he pulled her into a warm embrace. Marinette let herself bury her face in his chest.

"Marinette, I can't tell you the future, but know this. It's going to be alright. More than alright. Just trust me, ok? I would never lie to you, you know that."

Marinette nodded as a few tears leaked out. She didn't fully understand what was happening, but she knew that voice, that tone. It was Chat. Chat, who she knew she could trust to tell her the truth. Even when things got tough, which they often did for the superhero team, Chat would never lie to her. Marinette took a deep breath, savoring the airy scent of his cologne, and pulled back. She looked up into his green eyes and felt a bit braver. If there was a future where Adrien Agreste was her beloved kitty _and _would randomly kiss her in the park, she wanted to make sure it was protected. That meant finding Fu and getting _this_ Adrien back home.

"Ok," she said in reply to his small speech. "Let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

"Adrien?" Master Fu asked as he answered the door. Adrien was standing on the doorstep with Marinette right behind him. They hadn't talked much on the way over and had stuck to back alleyways to avoid being spotted. Marinette had been quick to point out that Adrien was supposed to be in London and it would cause a lot of confusion if he was spotted here in Paris. "_And_ Marinette?"

"Hi, Master," Adrien said with a wave. "How are things?"

"Explain. You are supposed to be in London. And why are you two together?" Master Fu asked sternly, clearly unhappy.

"I am in London. Well, my present self is...um...you see..." Adrien fumbled his explanation. Fu had warned them about time-travel and the dangers it posed. Yet, here he was, in the past. Not only that, but he had revealed his identity to Marinette, another big rule broken.

"Bunnix," Marinette answered from behind him. "This is Adrien from the future. He fell into the rabbit hole and we need to send him back."

Adrien nodded with enthusiasm at her explanation, hoping that maybe, since it came from her, Master Fu might respond better but the frown on his face told him otherwise.

"Inside, now!" he said, standing back so the pair could enter. Fu went and brought over a tray with a teapot and cups. The three of them knelt down on the cushion and Fu carefully poured the tea.

Marinette opened her purse and Tikki floated out. Adrien smiled at her, realizing that they were actually meeting for the first time.

"Where is he?" she asked him, a scowl on her face speaking much louder than her words. Plagg squirmed inside his pocket as if to hide even deeper, but Adrien held open his shirt revealing the small pocket inside.

"Out," Tikki ordered, "Now!"

"Hiya, Tikki," Plagg said, poking his head out of the pocket. "I swear this is not my fault."

The red kwami rolled her eyes and pointed towards the back room. Plagg sighed, but slowly floated over to the door and passed straight through it with Tikki trailing behind him.

"Glad I'm not him right now," Adrien muttered. He would take a stern lecture from Master Fu over Tikki's rage any day. Marinette smiled softly as Fu handed her a teacup. When Fu handed Adrien his cup, the scowl on his face, while not as intimidating as Tikki's, still made Adrien's stomach turn.

"Explain," Fu ordered as he sat back to drink his own tea.

"We were fighting Mr. Rat," he said after taking a deep breath. "Bunnix was with us."

"She's joined your team them?" he asked, a little surprised.

"Sort of," he nodded. "She was training, but then Mr. Rat happened to show up."

"Ah, that makes more sense," Fu said, nodding in agreement.

"Wait, training? We didn't get any training." Marinette asked, looking between the other two.

"The rabbit miraculous is different than yours. Time is a difficult matter. It requires training and practice to be able to use the miraculous effectively." Master Fu explained, "All of its wielders go through a period of intense study and training before they are allowed to use it freely."

"I see," Marinette commented as she took another sip of her tea. Fu gestured for Adrien to continue.

"Like I was saying, we were with Bunnix and then Mr. Rat showed up, again. We were fighting and Ladybug had a plan but something went wrong, I guess. I'm not really sure what happened. I hit my head pretty hard and when I came to, Bunnix was gone. Ladybug was still fighting Mr. Rat so I didn't realize I time traveled."

"Oh! So that's why you were late!" Marinette cried out suddenly. "Of course. Adrien is in London so _my _Chat wasn't able to come help, but you did!"

Adrien nodded, relieved that Marinette was taking this so well. He hadn't been quite so calm when he had first learned her identity.

"Yeah. I remember the London show. Luckily, I was too busy to watch the news, otherwise, I may have seen myself."

"That could have been disastrous," Master Fu added, "You have been lucky so far. But how did you know to find Marinette? Did you already know she was Ladybug?"

"Yes," Adrien admitted. "We found out each other's identity a few months ago, although, Marinette actually found out before I did. Which, I guess is now? She never really explained how she found out."

"That was a smart move on her part," Fu said with a slight nod to Marinette. "It is important that Adrien not know of the time he has spent here. We cannot tell him anything."

"Understood," Marinette said with a pained expression on her face.

"As for you, Adrien," Fu continued, turning back towards him, "You must not reveal any part of the future. To do so could undo the future that you know."

A rush of guilt washed over him. He had already revealed so much. She knew his identity, she knew how he felt about her, and he felt sure that she had picked up on the fact they were dating. Marinette avoided his gaze and stared blankly into the teacup.

"We need to send him back," Marinette said, without looking up. "Can we use the rabbit miraculous?"

"Yes...and no," Fu answered. "You see, it is not currently in my possession."

"What?" Adrien asked, suddenly panicked.

"Alix, of course," Marinette muttered. "It's her pocket watch, remember?"

"Right, I forgot about that. But how is it that she has a miraculous and doesn't know it?"

"It is currently deactivated and it's corresponding kwami is in the miraculous box. I will go and speak to her," Fu said as he finished his tea. "It will take some time for her to learn how to use it well enough to send you back, but we will start training immediately. When is the present day Adrien set to return from London?"

"Three days. He'll be back in time for the afternoon school session." Marinette answered, causing Adrien's eyebrows to rise. She glanced at him briefly and her cheeks turned a soft pink. He smiled, realizing that she must have been paying close attention because of her crush on him.

"That should be long enough," Fu said, standing. "But there is little time to waste. Adrien, you must protect the future until we are able to send you back. Since Adrien is not here, that also means Chat Noir is not available to help Ladybug."

"Understood," he said with a nod.

"Marinette, I did not tell you Chat is gone because it could have revealed his identity. Now that you know, you may pick a miraculous to keep with you in case of an akuma attack. Do not give it to anyone unless you need to."

"I'll take the fox miraculous."

"Good choice," Fu said, standing. He walked over to the miraculous box and pulled out what Rena Rouge's miraculous, carefully handing it to Marinette. "Now then, I should be on my way. I will call you when we are ready."


	4. Chapter 4

Marinette waved goodbye to Master Fu as he took off down the street after Marinette had told him Alix's address. She turned back to Adrien and smiled.

"Um, I'm supposed to meet Alya in a few minutes." She said sadly, not wanting to part with him.

"That's fine. I'll just head..." His voice trailed off and his face dropped.

"Why...why don't you head to my place?" Marinette suggested, catching Adrien off guard.

"What?"

"Well, it's not like you can go home," she pointed out, voicing a thought that had occurred to her inside while Adrien had been explaining things to Fu. "And you can't call Nino or anyone else for that matter. I'm the only one that knows who you are and what's going on. It only makes sense that you stay with me until Alix is ready to send you back."

"But, will your parents be ok with that?" He asked, but Marinette shook her head.

"They can't know. They watched the fashion show with me." Adrien nodded at her explanation and Marinette continued explaining her plan. "Just go as Chat and go in through my trap door on the balcony. Plagg can go to the other side and unlock it for you. My parents will be in the bakery, so you can sneak into the kitchen and get something to eat while you wait for me to come back."

"Marinette, are you ok with this? Me staying in your _bedroom_?" Adrien cocked his head to the side as he said it, making her laugh.

"Well," she said, thinking. "If you don't behave, I'll just kick you out to the balcony."

"Excuse me!" He said, acting all defensively though Marinette could see it was fake. "I'm _Adrien Agreste! _The perfect gentleman!"

"You're also Chat Noir. Master of trouble and destruction." Marinette said flatly. "Not to mention, the world's biggest flirt."

"Only with you, milady." He said with a bow.

"Not true," she said with a coy smile of her own. "You flirted with Marinette _before _you knew she was your lady."

Adrien straightened and scratched the back of his neck. Marinette knew she had him cornered.

"Well...about that..." he said, glancing around. "What I meant was...um..."

"Save it," she said, laughing, "I'm going to be late."

"I'll see you later then," he said and Marinette nodded. "Plagg, claws out."

Marinette gasped as a green light shimmered over Adrien's body, transforming him into Chat Noir. While she was starting to get used to the idea that he was her superhero partner, seeing it was another matter entirely.

"Chat," she whispered when the transformation was complete. He smiled down at her from behind his black mask.

"Yes, milady?" he asked, but Marinette couldn't answer. Her mouth tried to form words, but a wave of shock was coursing over her once again. She couldn't process what she was seeing and Chat's eyes softened and looked rather sad.

"Marinette?" he asked softly, "Are you alright?"

"You really are Chat," she said, reaching up to touch his cheek. "It's really Adrien under there."

"Yes, it's me." He grabbed hold of her hand and moved it towards his lips. "It's always been me."

Marinette's face blushed as he gently kissed her fingers. He met her gaze and gave her a small wink.

"Later, milady!" he said, letting go of her hand and using his staff to push himself to the rooftop. He gave her a final wave before disappearing. Marinette stood there holding the hand he had kissed until her phone rang. Stirred from her thoughts she quickly answered it.

"Hello?" she asked frantically.

"Girl! Where are you?" Alya yelled at her over the phone.

"I'm...I'm on my way, sorry." She hung up with her friend and started running down the street. As she did so, her lips slowly curved into the biggest smile. She didn't how or why or even when, but she was certain that she had just bumped into her boyfriend from the future.


	5. Chapter 5

Adrien munched on a croissant as he stared at Marinette's computer screen. He knew what her password _would _be, but he didn't know the current one. He reached for his phone to text her and ask, but then frowned. He didn't know how his phone would work in the past. If she messaged him, there was a chance his present self would be on the receiving end.

_Well, at least I can use my phone, _he thought as he unlocked the screen. To his disappointment, his cell had no signal and wasn't connected to the Dupain's wifi.

"Great, and I have no clue what the wifi password is either!" Adrien said out loud, causing Plagg to look up at him.

"What's that?" he asked, his mouth full of the cheddar cheese Adrien had found for him in the fridge.

"I was going to watch a movie to pass the time, but I don't know her password and my phone isn't working either." He explained, slipping the phone back into his pocket. Plagg looked towards the computer and promptly floated over and touched the monitor.

"I heart Adrien," Plagg said as if that explained everything.

"Excuse me?"

"The password, kid. It's I heart Adrien. The heart is made with a less-than sign and a three."

"You can figure out a password by touching the monitor?" Adrien asked, not buying it for a second.

"Alright, you caught me. Tikki told me." he admitted. "She thought it was the most obvious password ever."

"When was this?" Adrien asked as he typed in the password, blushing slightly.

"A few months ago," he said. "Actually, now that I think about it, it was an odd thing for her to say."

"Maybe she knew we would need it," Adrien mused, "She and Marinette both knew we would go back in time. Did Tikki ever mention it to you?"

The kwami of destruction shook his head and Adrien started searching for a movie to watch, but another thought started to bother him.

"Plagg, did I cheat on Marinette?" he asked, scrolling through the selection of movies.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, I kissed her. But it wasn't her. I mean, it was her, but not my girlfriend her so..."

"Kid, you're thinking too hard." Plagg answered, "Marinette knew this would happen, don't forget. I'm sure she's fine with it. Also, it was an honest mistake. Even I didn't realize we had time traveled, so stop worrying about it."

"Yeah, ok," Adrien said as he clicked on one of the movies, but he kept worrying. He worried that he might have messed up the future. He worried that, now, Marinette wouldn't ask him out like he remembered her doing. He worried about the time paradox that was being created. He worried that she was going to be mad at him when he got back. Adrien worried so much that halfway into the movie, he realized he had no clue what was going on in the film. Shaking his head, he turned it off.

Looking down at the desk, he saw that Plagg had curled into a ball and had fallen asleep. Adrien leaned back in the chair and let it spin him around slowly. He surveyed Marinette's room and the numerous pictures of him that decorated the walls. There weren't so many of them in the future, he noted. Many of them had been taken down and replaced with photos of the two of them together. Adrien closed his eyes, remembering how Marinette had asked him out, how he had learned she was Ladybug and pondered how his time-traveling may have had an impact.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't feel the time passing and when the trap door opened, he was so startled that he nearly jumped out of the chair. It wouldn't have been so bad, but the jump tilted the chair too far back and Adrien soon found himself on the floor with the chair tumbling after him.

"Ow," he said as Marinette's laughter and Plagg's confused swearing filled the room. Look up, he saw her halfway through the trap door.

"Here," she said as she came towards him. "Let me help you."

"You weren't gone very long," Adrien said as he took her hand and got to his feet. "I hope you didn't hurry back for my sake."

"No, turns out the history assignment was a lot easier than either of us expected," Marinette said as she set the chair upright again. "But I guess you knew that."

"Which one?" he asked, trying to recall the assignments he had worked on while in London.

"The pamphlet on Ancient Egypt."

"Oh yeah, that one. The assignment was easy, but the test is hard, so make sure to study!"

"Maybe we can study together?" Marinette asked, taking a seat on the small couch.

"Of course. We always study together, buga-" Adrien said without thinking and then froze. He glanced over to see Marinette's shocked face. Tikki was scowling at him with her arms crossed. "Uh, I mean...um..."

"Stop talking," Tikki ordered. Marinette's face broke out into a soft blush and she raised a hand to her face as she held in a fit of giggles."

"I...I can do that. I'm sorry." He muttered.

"Oh come on Tikki!" Plagg cried. "It's not that bad. We're only from a few months ahead in time. It's not we are going to screw up human history."

"Tell that to Pompeii, Plagg!"

"That was different and you know it!" the black kwami countered and Adrien could sense another epic kwami fight forming.

"I brought cheese!" Marinette cried out suddenly and Plagg immediately forgot the fight he was begging for and turned his attention to Marinette as she opened a small, brown bag. Adrien hadn't noticed her carrying anything, but as she opened the bag, the smell was unmistakable.

"CAMEMBERT!" The kwami cried as he dove into the bag.

"Plagg! Manners!" Tikki cried out with a trace of laughter in her voice.

Plagg's black head poked out of the bag, his mouth already stuffed with cheese.

"Pang oo," Plagg muttered as he continued eating. Laughter filled the room as everyone lost it. For a moment, Adrien felt like he was back in his own time. He forgot his worries as he closed his eyes collapsed into the chair and soaked in the moment. When the laughter died down, he glanced over at Marinette who was still holding the bag with Plagg inside it. Tikki had sat down on the desk and had pulled out a cookie she was now nibbling on. It all seemed so right, but then a knot formed in his chest.

_What if I mess this up, _he wondered. _What would I do then?_


	6. Chapter 6

Tikki continued munching on her cookie as she sat outside with Plagg. After he had finished his cheese, she had suggested they go outside. Her headache was getting worse and she didn't want to worry Marinette just yet.

"Are you going to lecture me some more?" he asked her as he stared at the clouds forming overhead.

"No, I guess not." She answered, "But Plagg, this bad. Very bad. And I don't think Fu even understands the full implications of it."

"Yeah, I know. Just check out that sky."

Tikki looked up and watched as even more dark clouds began to cover the sky. There was no forecast of rain, but sure enough, a storm was rolling in. Tikki closed her eyes and focused her senses on the clouds. Sure enough, they were full of destructive energy.

"Seems your bad luck is kicking in a lot faster than last time." She said and Plagg answered with a slow nod. "I wonder if anything like this is happening in London."

"No, otherwise I, my present self that is, would have picked up on what is happening."

Plagg's comment offered little relief to the red kwami. There were two kwamis of destruction in the world, which went meant the balance of the earth was thrown off. Tikki rubbed her head, the pain starting to get worse again.

"It's pulling on you, isn't it?" Plagg asked, sitting up and studying her with concern.

"Just a little," she answered, downplaying how much it was affecting her. They were the Ying and Yang of the universe. With two Plaggs present, Tikki could feel the core of the earth pulling on her trying to maintain balance. A roll of distant thunder echoed around them and Tikki's body shook with pain. Plagg wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.

Tikki leaned into the black kwami's embrace. It wasn't often that he showed his affection towards her. If she hadn't been in so much pain, she would have teased him. But, instead, she just took in the comfort of his arms. The thunder continued to increase, as did her pain. Eventually, drops of rain began to fall on the two kwamis and Plagg suggested they move inside.

Plagg held her hand as the floated back down through the trap door. Adrien and Marinette were playing a video game as the kwamis took a seat on Marinette's bed. Plagg resumed holding her and Tikki closed her eyes, focusing on the comfort of his presence. Eventually, she felt herself drift off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

"Seriously. again?" Adrien cried out as the screen announced the winner. Marinette chuckled as she relished the victory. "Milady, I swear that someday I _will _beat you."

"No, you won't. Just get it used to it," she said, stretching her arms. The rain was picking up and she suddenly remembered that Plagg and Tikki had gone outside. Looking over her shoulder, however, she saw that they had come back in without her noticing. Marinette smiled at the sight. Plagg and Tikki were sleeping on her pillow, tightly wrapped in each other's arms.

"Would you look at that?" she whispered gesturing to the two kwamis. Adrien followed her gaze and smiled. "You know, I can't quite tell if those two hate each other or love each other."

"Both," Adrien answered. "Plagg once described Tikki as the yin to his yang. That while they were was always conflict between them, there is also a deep bond that human words can't describe."

"Really? Plagg said that?" she asked, finding it hard to believe that the black kwami could ever be that romantic.

"Yep. He might talk tough, but when it comes to Tikki, he has a major soft spot."

"Speaking of soft spots..."Marinette starting, trying to think of what she wanted to ask.

"Mari, I can't tell you the future," Adrien started to say with sad eyes.

"I know, I know. But...but how do I ever tell you?" she asked, more of herself than him. "Every time I try to tell you my brain goes crazy and I act like an idiot! My throat runs dry, my tongue feels like it's three sizes too big, and my chest feels like...feels like Gorzilla is giving me a bear hug. How in the world am I supposed to tell you that I like you when I feel like that? How?"

She looked over at the boy sitting next to her. He was no longer smiling but looked as if he might cry. Immediately, she regretted her words. Marinette muttered an apology and buried her red face in her knees as she pulled them to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Mari..." she heard Adrien whisper. "Mari, I can't..."

A loud clap of thunder drowned out his words and the lights began to flicker. They didn't lose power, but Marinette began shutting down her computer.

"Do you have flashlights?" Adrien asked. She nodded and pointed to a trunk on the other side of the room. He nodded and went to fetch them. Marinette could hear the kwamis stirring in the bed. Plagg was saying something, but then he started yelling.

"TIKKI!" Plagg shouted, making both her and Adrien jump. "Tikki! Wake up! You gotta wake up!"

Marinette ran to the bed and pulled herself up on the frame. Plagg was shaking Tikki, but the kwami wasn't waking up. And she wasn't red. The kwami of creation was now a light shade of pink and the tips of her hands and feet were turning gray. Marinette watched in horror as the grey color slowly moved up her arms, draining her of color as it went.

"Oh gods, oh gods, Tikki, why didn't you tell me it was this bad?" Plagg was saying in a panic.

"Plagg, what's wrong with her?" Adrien asked from Marinette's side.

"It's because of me. With two of me in the world, the earth is trying to maintain balance. It's draining Tikki of her power. Oh, gods, Tikki! Wake up! Please wake up!"

Tears were falling from Plagg's eyes and Marinette felt tears on her own cheeks as well. Adrien fumbled with his phone, but then started cursing.

"Marinette, where's your phone?" he asked in a rush. Marinette felt frozen, unable to speak or move. "Mari! We need to call Fu!"

"P-purse," she managed to mutter and Adrien instantly left her side. Plagg's words circled in her mind and Marinette watched as the black kwami continued to cradle his counterpart. Then it clicked. She dropped from the bed frame and walked to the center of the room. Plagg hadn't been speaking romantically when he said Tikki was his yin. He was speaking the truth. And if the world was out of balance, there was only one way to restore it.

Marinette concentrated on what was happening. Adrien, to her right, was digging through her purse, turning it upside down and dumping the contents on the desk. Plagg, to her left, was crying, desperately trying to wake Tikki. A flash of lightning illuminated the room and a loud clap of thunder drowned out all other noises.

"Come on, come on," Marinette said, creating a perfect memory in her mind. "Come on, Marinette. Please hurry."


	8. Chapter 8

Plagg's heart raced as he tried to wake Tikki. Panic coursed through his body and he tried to think of what to do, but couldn't. Tikki was the one who fixed things. He could only destroy. He didn't even try to hide his pain as he explained things to Adrien and Marinette. He couldn't lose the kwami of creation, but he also didn't know how to stop it. Her body was beginning to feel cold when the portal opened.

Plagg looked up to see Marinette standing perfectly still in front of the swirling blue colors. A hand extended out from the portal and handed Marinette a familiar box. Plagg barely noticed the paper airplane that also sailed into the room which Adrien grabbed while starring at the portal in as much shock as Plagg himself felt.

As quickly as it had appeared, the portal closed. Marinette turned to the kwamis, but there had been no change in Tikki.

"Quick," Plagg told her, suddenly understanding the plan. "You have to put them on. You have to activate her."

"But I don't have another piercing. I would have to take these out." she explained.

"One of each?" Adrien offered and Plagg nodded. She wouldn't be able to transform, but it would activate both Tikkis. Plagg gently caressed Tikki's cheek while Marinette fumbled with the earrings.

"Hold on," he whispered to her. "We'll have this fixed soon."

Sure enough, another Tikki appeared in front of Marinette and Plagg felt a wave of relief wash over him. He held the sleeping Tikki close to his heart while he watched the color slowly return to her. Tears of joy and relief began to slide down his face, but he didn't care. Tikki was going to be alright and that was all that mattered. It took a moment, but the red kwami finally began to wake up

"Mmm...Plagg?" Tikki asked as she started waking up.

"Sugar cube!" Plagg cried out, pulling Tikki to his chest even tighter than before. "Don't you ever, EVER, scare me like that again!"

"What...what happened?" Tikki asked, glancing around the room, her eyes falling on her future self.

"Just a little bit of time travel," the future Tikki said. "Just enough to restore the balance."

"But wait," Marinette said, stepping forward a bit, "Why didn't you just take Adrien and Plagg back like I planned? When send you back in time?"

"It's not time for me to go back," Adrien said. Plagg looked over at his charge and saw that he was reading something. "Not yet."

"What did she say, kid?" Plagg asked, recalling the paper airplane he had seen earlier.

"I...I gotta get some air," Adrien muttered as he rushed onto the bed and out the trapdoor. Marinette looked like she was going to follow, but the future Tikki blocked her path and shook her head.

"Marinette, you should call Fu," Plagg suggested, recognizing the look that he had seen on Adrien's face. It was the one when he needed time alone. "Tell Fu what happened."

"He's right, Marinette," the future Tikki added. "You can't be Ladybug with the way your earrings are right now."

Marinette glanced between the three kwami. Plagg could tell she still wanted to follow Adrien, but she sighed and fetched her phone. Plagg glanced back down at the present day Tikki in his arms.

"Don't scare me like that!" he whispered harshly.

"I'm sorry, Plagg. I thought I could handle it." she answered, her voice still weak from the experience.

"Hey, we are a team remember? Partners for all eternity. You can, and should, tell me everything. Even if you don't think it's important or worth me time. Ok?"

"Ok," she agreed, closing her eyes. "Plagg, I'm tired."

"Rest then, sugar cube," he said as he shifted so he could lie down with her. "I love you."

"I love you too, Plagg." she muttered as she drifted back off into sleep.

"Master Fu?" Plagg heard Marinette talking softly from her desk. "Well, something has happened, but don't worry it's already been fixed."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys, quick thanks to all of you that have been reading this! This story has been giving me major writer's block for some reason, but your support has me pushing through! Anyway, this chapter is a little long (sorry/not sorry) but I think you guys will like it. Enjoy!**

_I'm sorry, but I can't bring you back. Not yet. It's not time. Listen to what I am saying. Support me. Encourage me. Otherwise, our future will be uncertain. Trust your instincts, kitty. I love you._

_-Marinette_

_P.S. It's not cheating ;)_

Adrien reread the note from the future Marinette over and over as he sat out on the balcony. The rain had stopped when the second Tikki had appeared, but as he read the note, the storm in his stomach only intensified. He felt more and more uncertain about what to do.

"She's not mad, you know." Tikki, who had suddenly appeared beside him, said. "We always knew this would happen eventually."

"If you're here," he started, realizing this was the Tikki from his time. "Who is defending Paris? What happens to the balance when both of you are gone?"

"When it is time to go back, we'll go to the exact moment I left. That way we won't miss any akuma attacks and the world won't even miss me."

"What does she mean by this, Tikki? Trust my instincts. What's that about?"

"Marinette, this Marinette I mean, is scared. She's insecure. That's why she hasn't confessed to you, even after all this time." Tikki explained as she took a seat on his knee. "But you being here changed things for her."

"So, I'm the reason she confessed after I got back from London? Because I am here now? And that's why I can't go home yet?"

Tikki nodded and Adrien's head began to ache as he tried to untangle the time paradox.

"I know it's confusing, but don't worry. Like she said, trust your instincts. Help Marinette gain the confidence she needs to admit her feelings to you."

"But what do I say?" he asked, hoping Tikki would just give him a straight answer.

"That's up to you. Just be Adrien. Be Chat. Let her talk to you. Listen to her and then..."

"Trust my instincts," he finished. It wasn't the clear cut answer he had hoped for, but he also knew it was all he was going to get from the red kwami.

"Hey, Adrien?" Marinette asked as she popped her head out of the trap door. "Master Fu says it's too risky for me to try and transform like this. Can you go, as Chat, and deliver Rena Rouge her miraculous? Just tell her that Ladybug and Chat are going to be out of commission for a few days. He's going to do the same for Carapace."

"But Rena Rouge and Carapace can't purify akumas," Adrien pointed out.

"Fu said that Rena can trap them in an illusion and hold on to it. Tikki can go later and purify it without me."

"Alright, but you're going to have to tell me who Rena is," he said with a wink as he stood up.

"Alya," she answered.

"Seriously?" he asked, rather shocked. "_Alya?_ How on earth have you kept your identity a secret, Marinette? Surely she has picked up on it!"

"Nah, I don't walk up to people in the park and reveal myself," she retorted with a sly smile.

"Ha ha ha. Very funny, milady." he muttered as he took the miraculous box she was holding out to him.

"Well...it's true."

"Plagg?" he called out, ignoring Marinette. "Claws out!"

A green light shimmered around him and he soon found his body wrapped in tight black leather. He quickly pulled out his staff and prepared to take off.

"Be right back, bugaboo," he said as he took off across the rooftops. Soon enough, he arrived at Alya's house. He peeked into one of the windows and saw that Nino was visiting. The couple was sitting on her bed playing a video game.

_Crap, _he thought. _How do I get the miraculous to her without revealing her identity?_

While he pondered what to do, Alya looked up and spied him looking in the window.

"Hey, Chat!" she called as she quickly ran over to the window and opened it. "What's up?"

"Uh...can I talk to you for a sec?" He asked hesitantly, "Um, _alone?_"

"Oh, so Ladybug told you my identity then? It's alright, Chat. Nino knows I'm Rena Rouge."

"What? Seriously, what is the freakin' point of having secret identities!" he cried as he climbed in the window. Nino and Alya shared a quick smile and Chat rolled his eyes. "Well, anyway. Ladybug and I are going to be out of commission for a few days."

"Really? Is everything alright?" she asked, taking the box from his hand.

"It's...complicated," he admitted. "But we need you to cover for us. If there's an attack, it's up to you to handle it."

"So, what? No miraculous for Carapace?" Nino asked, catching him off guard.

"Sorry?" he asked, confused.

"Uh, dude. I'm Carapace. Ladybug didn't give you my miraculous? Is Rena supposed to defend Paris by herself?"

Chat rubbed his temple as he tried to process what his best friend was telling him. Nino was Carapace and Alya was Rena Rouge. How had he not seen this?

"Don't worry. Someone else is being sent to deliver your miraculous. Sorry, I didn't know you were Carapace."

"It's alright man," he said with a smile.

"So, wait. How long have you known each other's identity?" Chat asked, his brain still trying to process everything.

"We've known for quite some time," Alya explained, taking out the miraculous and putting on her necklace. "Ladybug had to give us our miraculouses at the same time once. It was an emergency."

"Well, that makes sense, seeing as you guys are always together."

They both laughed a little and Chat smiled. He quickly explained the plan on how to handle akumas and then said his farewells. When he arrived back at the bakery, Marinette was waiting for him on the rooftop.

"So," he said after dropping his transformation. "You picked your best friend to be Rena and my best friend to be Carapace. Were you ever going to give _Adrien_ a miraculous?"

"Uh...I _thought _about it but then..." She said, her face turning a deep red.

"Then what?" he pressed.

"I didn't want to put you in harm's way." She admitted as she starred off into the distance, avoiding his gaze. "I couldn't stand the idea of putting Adrien at risk, but I guess I've been doing just that all along."

Adrien studied her for a moment. She was sitting on the pink and white deck chair, her knees pulled up to her face. While her eyes avoided him, he could still see the tears forming in them. She had been handling learning his identity so well, but at that moment, he realized she was still processing. It was a lot to take in and she was doing her best, but she wasn't quite there yet.

He reached into his pocket and felt the corners of Marinette's note. Thinking about her words he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them and looked at Marinette, he knew what he wanted to do.

Walking over, he gathered Marinette in his arms, gently lifting her just enough so that he could slide into the chair underneath her. Her body went rigid with shock, but he just smiled and pushed her head down so that it was resting right about his heart.

"Do you hear that Marinette?" he asked.

"Hear...your heartbeat?"

"Mm-hm. This heart, it's beating for you. It's always been beating for you. So you don't need to feel guilty about putting me in danger, alright? I would die a thousand times over for you because, if anything ever happened to you, I'm pawsitive this heart would stop beating anyway." Adrien explained, making sure to throw in a pun just to lighten the mood, but she didn't laugh.

"Adrien...I..." Marinette started to say, but he could hear her voice breaking and he knew that the tears would begin falling at any moment.

"I love you, milady. I loved you as Ladybug. I loved you as my best friend. And when I realized that you were the same person, I felt like the luckiest person on the earth."

"Adrien," Marinette repeated, sitting up and turning so that they were looking each other in the eye. "That's sweet of you to say, but...that's after you found out. _You _are you after you found out. And I'm Marinette from before whatever happened happened. You aren't...aren't the Adrien I know. I mean, you are but you aren't. Does that make sense?"

"Fine. Then, let me tell you about _your _Adrien," he added, a little too sternly while he sat up straighter. He wanted her to get it. He wanted her to understand and so he started pouring out every hard truth he had learned to accept about himself over the last three months. "_Your _Adrien is a freakin' idiot. A clueless dummy. You see, Adrien is in love with Ladybug, but there's this other girl. And that girl is just as amazing, if not more, than Ladybug herself. And if he wasn't such an idiot he would have seen it. But, the problem is that this girl is his _friend. _And not just any friend, she's his _best friend. _Do you know what that means?"

"That he doesn't like her," Marinette muttered softly, the pain clear as day on her face.

"No. I get why you might see it that way, but it's wrong." He said, hating himself for making her feel this way even if he didn't mean to. "Adrien _loves _her. More than Ladybug. But that friendship is too important to him. Every time he begins to think about her in any way other than a friend, he reminds himself that she's a friend. That she _can't _be more. Do you know why?"

Adrien paused and waited as Marinette shook her head. He smiled at her, and gently brushed her cheek with his thumb.

"Because that friendship is the most important one he has. He can get into fights with Nino, Chole can hate his guts for standing up to her, but if Marinette were to stop being his friend he would die. As much as he loves her, he isn't willing to risk losing her by loving her. He doesn't even admit it to himself. He won't _let _himself love her. And unless _Marinette _does something first, he will never have the guts to take that chance. In other words, when it comes to Marinette, he's a coward. That's why Chat flirted with you as Marinette. With a mask on, Adrien could let a little of that emotion out. It's also the reason Chat didn't want to date you. You might have figured out who he was. And being in love with Ladybug gives him the perfect excuse to deny his feelings for you. So, he does. _That's _your Adrien. Do you get it now? I have always loved you! Even now. I missed the hell out of you while I was in London. And not just as Ladybug. I missed Marinette. I mean, come on, don't you remember my _last _trip to London?"

Marinette's face turned a deep red and she tried to look away but Adrien grabbed her face with both hands and forced her to look at him.

"I spent my whole weekend trying to find that medicine. That should have told you. Heck, that should have told _me_! I was always in love with you! So...wake me up, Mari. Help me realize how much I love you. Because I'm too much of an idiot to do it on my own."


	10. Chapter 10

**Me to Myself: Ok, now write a nice chapter that doesn't make your readers die...**

*****Writes New Chapter*****

*****Re-reads, inner fangirl dies*****

**Me: Crap. Oh well, nice knowing you all!**

Adrien had finished talking, but Marinette had only just begun trying to process his words. Her head spun and her heart pounded as the new information came flying at her. She sat perfectly still on his lap, his hand still holding her face, preventing her from looking away.

"Marinette?" Adrien asked, concern growing on his face.

"Adrein..." she whispered. It was the only word she could manage, but then the panic took hold. She pulled his hands away and bolted from his lap. Marinette practically fell through the trap door before bolting it shut behind her. Her whole body was shaking. She could hear movement right above her, but Adrien didn't call out, knock, or even try to open the door. Marinette waited with her hands still on the door. When she heard his footsteps retreat, she let go and collapsed onto the bed.

Glancing over, she could see the three kwami starring at her, but they quickly turned their attention back to the card game they were playing without saying a word. Thankful, Marinette pulled her blanket around herself, covering her face and closing her eyes. She didn't cry, but she didn't rejoice either. She simply laid there in shock, trying to clear her mind.

When Marinette opened her eyes, the room was dark and silent. Silently swearing at herself for falling asleep she quickly looked around the room and took stalk. The kwamis were fast asleep on her desk, but there was no sign of Adrien. Marinette quietly opened the trap door and poked her head out. Sure enough, Adrien was there.

Guilt coursed through her as the cool night air brushed against her skin as she climbed out. He was curled up on the lawn chair fast asleep with a blanket draped over him. Marinette assumed that the kwami must have been involved in that one seeing as she hadn't woken up.

Squatting low next to him, she starred at Adrien's face. He looked so peaceful and calm while he slept. The wealth of emotions from earlier returned as she sat down on the rooftop. Slowly, she started untangling them in her mind.

Mostly, there was shock, but she pushed that aside. Adrien had dumped a ton of information on her that she wasn't expecting and she rationalized that the shock of it all would fade eventually. Next, she tried tackling the fear that she felt, the one that had driven her to her bed. She thought about all the things that she was scared of and slowly rationalized them away.

Yesterday, Marinette had been scared that Adrien would reject her if she ever told him how she felt. Now, however, she knew that wouldn't happen. Instead, she was afraid of how she would react if they actually started dating. Marinette smiled slightly at her own silliness. She knew she would be happy to be with Adrien, but was also scared of how this would affect their crime-fighting efforts. They were superheroes after all. Could they still be a good team if they were dating?

Marinette took a deep breath as she thought, but then an image of Rena and Carapace flashed across her mind. They were dating and it didn't make them a weaker team. In fact, it had made them stronger. If they could do it, there was no reason why Chat Noir and Ladybug couldn't.

Adrien stirred slightly in his sleep and he pulled the blanket closer as a gust of wind blew across the rooftop patio. Marinette shivered, but she wasn't quite ready to go back inside. She reached out to Adrien and gently pushed back a lock of hair that had fallen in front of his face. She tucked it behind his ear wondering why he hadn't just come inside on this chilly night.

Then she recalled her words from earlier: _if you misbehave I'll kick you out to the balcony. _Did he think she was mad at him? Guilt coursed through her as another gust of wind blew across them. This time, Adrien's eyes opened slightly.

"Marinette!" he cried upon seeing her. "What are you doing out here? It's too cold for you to be out!"

He quickly stood up and wrapped his blanket around her. Marinette tried to argue, but she could see that it was no use. This wasn't just Adrien, it was Chat Noir. Chat, who had sacrificed himself countless times for Ladybug's sake. Of course he would give her the blanket instead of keeping it to himself. It was a simple action, but it pierced right through Marinette's whirlwind of emotions. Tears formed in her eyes as Adrien sat down on the chair across from her, staring into her eyes.

"You should go back inside, milady," he told her, his body clearly shivering from the cold. Marinette shook her head as the tears started to fall. Memories were playing over and over in her mind. Moments shared with Adrien when it was clear he cared for her and other moments when it was clear she was falling for Chat. They had always loved each other. From the very beginning, they had been in love with each other without knowing it.

Adrien reached out and wiped one of her tears away from her cheeks and something inside her broke. She was tired of their secret identities. She was sick of being shy and bashful. She was annoyed at Adrien for not seeing what was in front of him and was angry with herself for the very same reason. It had to stop. Marinette had to end this vicious cycle of not seeing each other. She had to bring them together.

Taking hold of Adrien's hand, she stood up and pulled him towards the trap door.

"Dumb cat," she muttered, "You are the one who needs to come inside."

She heard Adrien chuckle as he willingly followed her inside. Adrien shut the trapdoor behind them and moved to get off the bed, but Marinette pulled him back, shaking her head.

"Right here," she whispered, patting the large pillow as she laid down.

"Are you sure?" he asked softly as he laid down as well. She nodded, knowing that she needed him close. Adrien pulled the blanket up over them and gathered her in his arms. Marinette settled into the warmth of his chest knowing full well that this was where she belonged and that she was finally ready to claim it as her home.

"Good night, kitty," she whispered as sleep began to take hold of her once more.

"Sweet dreams, bugaboo," Adrien added with a squeeze. Marinette smiled knowing that him holding her was the only sweet dream she needed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for the delay on this one! I had another writing project that demanded my full attention for a few days, but I managed to make some time to wrap this one up. Thanks for all your support and I hope you enjoy the story!**

Chat Noir stood silent as Bunnix held the future Tikki in her hands. Her eyes were closed and Tikki was apparently showing her the right time to send them to.

"Thanks, Tikki," Bunnix said, opening her eyes. "I got it."

Tikki nodded and floated around the corner. A moment later, Ladybug appeared holding a miraculous box. She avoided Chat's gaze as she handed him the box containing Ladybug's earrings. This morning, Marinette and Adrien had woken up to a phone call from Fu saying that everything was ready. They had gotten ready in silence, avoiding talking about all that had been said the night before. Plagg had been relentlessly teased by the two Tikkis about everything imaginable, but Adrien hadn't been able to enjoy the jokes. Instead, he had been too worried about this moment.

"Can you give us a minute?" he asked turning to Fu and Bunnix. They nodded and he grabbed Ladybug by the arm and pulled her back around the corner. "Alright, talk. I don't want to go back until you tell me why you are so quiet."

Ladybug looked up at him and he could see the tears hiding behind her mask.

"I don't want to say goodbye," she admitted softly, melting Chat's heart.

"Milady, I'll be home in no time. Just, tell me how you feel like I'll be at your side again."

"I know, but I'll have to keep this a secret from you. I don't like that." she said, shaking her head. "How long do I have to hold this in?"

"Three months," he said honestly. "And I'm not mad. I've already forgiven you, alright? Please don't worry."

Ladybug gave him a small smile and then stood on tiptoe to kiss him. He welcomed the kiss, pulling her in close.

"I have to go," he whispered.

"I know," she said sadly, but took his hand regardless and walked back to where Bunnix was waiting.

"Ready?" Bunnix asked him. He nodded, clinging tight to Ladybug's hand. Bunnix opened the portal. Chat looked back at Ladybug and smiled.

"See you soon, milady."

"See you soon, Chat." she answered. He let go of her hand and stepped into the portal. There was a rush of blue, but then he saw her.

"Welcome home, kitty." she said with a smile.

"Thanks. Was that a good enough _chat _in time for ya?"

"Yes. It was puuuuurfect." she answered and they both broke into laughter. Chat was home and everything was the way it should be.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Marinette watched as Adrien walked up down the stairs after school. Alya was chatting at her, but she wasn't paying attention. Instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, recalling everything that had happened over the weekend.

"Hey, Adrien!" she called, taking Alya by surprise.

"Marinette! What are you doing?" Alya whispered as Adrien turned towards them and smiled.

"What I should have done a long time ago," she answered with determination, walking away to meet Adrien.

"What's up, Marinette?" he asked politely. She focused on the green of his eyes and took another slow and steady breath.

"I like you. I have for a long time and I'm tired of hiding it. I like you and I want to be your girlfriend." Her voice was strong and steady.

"Marinette...I...uh...I..." Adrien stammered, but Marinette held up a hand, anticipating his answer.

"I know that you like someone else. It's fine, but I still wanted you to know how I feel. We are best friends and I don't want to lose that, so don't worry. We can just be friends if that's what you want. I'll respect your decision." Marinette stood on tiptoe and gently kissed him on the cheek. She smiled at how red it was turning, but she wasn't done just yet.

"Your friendship means everything to me," she whispered in his ear as she pulled back. "I'll see you around, kitty."

With that, she turned and headed towards the bakery. Alya and Nino were starring at her, mouths dropped open. She gave them a wink as she passed. Her heart was racing and she started counting her steps as she walked, determined to not look back. She knew Adrien was just as shocked as Alya and Nino, especially since he was probably calculating that she was Ladybug.

"MARINETTE!" Adrien called from behind her as Marinette was about to turn the corner. "WAIT!"

She turned to see Adrien Agreste running after her like his life depended on it. It was a short sprint, but when he caught up to her, his breath was ragged.

"Mari...do you...are you..." he tried to ask, but his face told her that his head was still spinning.

"Am I alright?" she asked playfully, knowing that wasn't his question. "_I'm _fine, but I don't think you are. Puuuuurhaps you should go home and rest. Take a quick cat nap? I'm sure you'll be _feline _better in no time."

"_Please _don't say anything! Ladybug will kill me!" he asked with a desperate look on his face. Marinette burst into laughter. Adrien still hadn't figured it out and she thought it was hilarious.

"No need to worry about that kitty," she said, intentionally repeating his nickname. "I'm sure she's fine with it. I'm pretty good with secrets after all."

"But...but...what you said...about friendship?" He asked, looking more confused than ever.

"Oh, that you're friendship means everything?" She asked, stepping in close to him. "I'll be honest, it's not my line. Someone said the same thing to me after I turned down his confession. I figured it was appropriate in this setting too. Sorry for being a copy-cat."

She watched as Adrien's eyes grew wide with realization. His mouth dropped open and Marinette patted his cheek.

"I'll give you some time to process," Marinette added as he turned and started walking again, trying to contain her laughter. She didn't know how long it would take Adrien to come around, but she wasn't worried. Marinette knew that everything would be alright. Adrien just needed time and she had all the time in the world. The cycle had been broken and, soon, she knew she would be in his arms again.


End file.
